A terror attack unfolded on Thursday, October 2, at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The assailant, identified as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, drove his car into a group of people outside the synagogue before attempting to force his way inside with a knife. Two worshippers, 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, tragically lost their lives, and four others sustained injuries, three of whom remain in serious condition in hospital.

Witnesses reported that Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich, shouted, "This is what they get for killing our children," during the attack. He was first spotted acting suspiciously around 9:15 am, confronted by security, and left, only to return 15 minutes later in a black Kia Picanto. Armed police were called at 9:31 am, arriving within minutes, and declared a 'PLATO' incident at 9:37 am, treating Al-Shamie as a 'marauding terrorist'. He was fatally shot by officers at 9:38 am. A suspicious device attached to his torso was later confirmed to be a fake.

Adrian Daulby is believed to have died after being accidentally shot by armed police while bravely barricading the synagogue doors to protect others. His family lauded him as a "hero" whose "final act was one of profound courage." Melvin Cravitz, a worshipper, was fatally injured outside the synagogue. Among the injured was Yoni Finlay, who also helped barricade the doors and was accidentally shot but survived after undergoing surgery. His 15-year-old son, Uriel, hailed him as a "complete hero" for saving lives. Alan Levy, another worshipper, recounted seeing Al-Shamie waving a knife and helping to hold the doors firm alongside Rabbi Walker and other congregants. Non-Jewish individuals also bravely intervened to distract the attacker.

Police are treating the incident as a terrorist act and have arrested six people in connection with the attack on suspicion of commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism. Warrants for further detention have been granted for four of these individuals, allowing police to question them for up to an additional five days. Raids were conducted in Bolton and Prestwich. It emerged that Al-Shamie, while not known to counter-terrorism policing, had a non-CT criminal history, including being on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the attack. Counter-terrorism policing head Laurence Taylor stated that Al-Shamie may have been influenced by "extreme Islamist ideology." Al-Shamie's father issued a statement condemning his son's actions, distancing the family from the "heinous act."

The attack has profoundly traumatized Manchester's Jewish community, leading to feelings of unsafety and a questioning of their future in the United Kingdom. Marc Levy, Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, whose father helped barricade the doors, highlighted concerns that warnings about rising antisemitism had been ignored. A vigil held on Friday, October 3, saw Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy heckled by angry community members, who expressed frustration over perceived government inaction on antisemitism and the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by the UK. Community leaders, including Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, called for stronger government action beyond